This invention is directed to token engraving apparatus, and more particularly, to token engraving apparatus suitable for engraving selected characters into one surface of a blank token.
As used herein the term engraving is generic to the creation of characters in tokens by either depressing the character into the token or by depressing the material surrounding the character so as to effectively "raise" the character. The latter technique is sometimes referred to as embossing. Thus, as will be better understood from the following description of the invention, while the mechanism of the invention preferably creates depressed characters because the pressure to be applied is less than that needed to create raised characters (and the image is usually clearer) it is to be understood that the mechanism can also be used to create raised (embossed) characters, if desired.
Various types of token engraving apparatus suitable for engraving characters into tokens have been proposed, and some are in use. For a variety of reasons, these prior art token engraving apparatus have not proven to be entirely satisfactory. In general, prior art token engraving apparatus have not proven to be satisfactory because they have failed to produce tokens which have characters clearly imprinted thereon in an exact geometrical configuration. In other words, prior art token engraving apparatus have failed to create clear, distinguishable and exactly oriented characters on the tokens produced by such apparatus. One reason why prior art apparatus of this nature has failed in this regard relates to their various modes of operation. More specifically, in general, prior art token engraving apparatus are complicated, manually operated mechanisms. Because they are entirely mechanical and manually operated, the force necessary to create engraved characters has generally been unequally applied for each character. Thus, the resultant characters have been uneven in depth, even if clear. Further, the mechanical mechanisms used to position the characters have been unsatisfactory whereby the characters are unequally spaced, again even if clear. In addition, some prior art token engraving apparatus have allowed the tokens to move slightly during engraving whereby the characters have been blurred.
In addition to the problems of the prior art related to clarity and symmetry of character engraving, there are two broad mechanical areas where the operation of prior art apparatus has been especially unsatisfactory. The first area relates to the mechanism for moving the tokens to be engraved and the second relates to the lack of adjustment throughout the overall apparatus. The major problem with the token moving mechanism of prior art token engraving apparatus relates to the frequency of jamming. More specifically, many prior art token moving mechanisms have a propensity to jam frequently. Each time they jam, they must be serviced and cannot be used. Thus, if they are "coin operated" token engraving apparatus, the customers thereof become frustrated and the owners lose income.
The second major problem, lack of adjustment, requires that the elements of the prior art token engraving apparatus be accurately formed, usually by machining, because if the elements are not accurately formed, they will not co-act in the desired manner. Another problem related to this major area is element wear. Specifically, because of the prior art's inability to be adjusted, element wear requires element replacement. Thus, lack of an adjustment capability makes the prior art apparatus both expensive to produce and expensive to maintain. A related disadvantage is the inability to adjust the machine for variations in token thickness which results in jamming and its attendant disadvantages, discussed above.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved token engraving apparatus.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a token engraving apparatus wherein tokens are accurately indexed so that characters engraved therein are equally spaced.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a token engraving apparatus which includes mechanism for applying equal force during each engraving operation so that each character is engraved to the same depth.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and improved token engraving apparatus that is relatively uncomplicated, yet accurately and clearly engraves characters into one surface of a token without requiring the application of manual force to perform the engraving operation.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a token engraving apparatus that includes a token moving mechanism that is essentially jam proof.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a token engraving apparatus that is easily, accurately adjusted.